28 KORTH AMEKICAN "WAKBLERS. 



April 3, 1889; Savannah, Ga., April 8-16, 1894; Kirkwood, Ga., May 

 1, 1898; Frogmore, S. C, April 1-5, 1885; New Orleans, April 8, 1898, 

 April 10-13, 1899; Bayou Sara, La., April 8, 1887; Coosada, Ala., 

 April 12, 1878. 



Fall migration. — That many Swainsbn warblers journey to their 

 winter home bj' way of Florida is shown by the manifold records from 

 the mainland, the records from the islands of Key West and Tortugas, 

 and the numerous records of striking the light at Sombrero Key. 

 There is at present only one recojrd of the occurrence of the species in 

 Cuba. From the numbers passing through Florida, however, it is 

 probable that it will yet be found to be common locally in Cuba 

 when the proper situations are examined. The occurrence of the bird 

 at the Tortugas would seem to indicate that it migrates directly from 

 Liouisiana across the Gulf to Cuba. 



Fall migration begins rather late when compared with the date of 

 nesting. Fledged young have been seen near Charleston, S. C, by 

 June 9, but the earliest date of striking at Sombrero Key lighthouse 

 is August 17, 1888. Other records at this light are: September 14 

 and 21, 1884; September 27 and October 26, 1885; October 7, 1886; 

 September 16, 17, and 18, 1887; September 25 and 28 and October 2 

 and 9, 1888. On most of these dates only one bird struck the light. 

 The fall records at Key West are September 20, 1887, September 

 18-20, 1888, and the middle of September, 1889. 



639. Helmitlieros vermivorus ( Gmel. ) . Worm-eating Warbler. 



Breeding range. — The worm-eating warbler is one of the best 

 examples of a bird of the Carolinian zone, as it breeds commonly in 

 most places throughout the zone that are adapted to its needs, and in 

 but few localities outside of it. It is common in the breeding season 

 in the heavily timbered bottom lands of southern Illinois and Indiana 

 and eastward to the lower portions of the valleys of the Hudson and 

 Connecticut rivers. It is not uncommon in the lower parts of the 

 Allegheny Mountains from northwestern South Carolina to southern 

 New York, and from the Dismal Swamp of Virginia northward. 

 Outside of this usual range it has been taken in Massachusetts, central 

 New York, northern Ohio, southern Michigan, southern Wisconsin, 

 central Iowa, and the southeastern corner of Nebraska and eastern 

 Kansas. Although Mr. McCormack took a set of five eggs at La 

 Grange, Ala., April 29, 1890, there are not many records of the 

 breeding of the species south of the latitude of southern Virginia, 

 except in the mountains. It is a rare summer resident at Raleigh, 

 N. C, and in the National Museum there is a set of eggs taken May 

 17, 1890, by G. Mabbitt at Rodney, Miss. Beckham thought the 

 bird probably nested at Bayou Sara, La., though he found no nests. 

 These few instances serve but to accentuate the fact that the worm- 



